Meatloaf is THE all-American food. I always think of it as the dish that you either love or absolutely hate. I’ve also seen hundreds of recipes for it and people are extremely passionate about what they think does and doesn’t belong inside. My mother must have used an entire bottle of ketchup on hers. I’ll refrain from commenting.

My version of meatloaf is perfect for the whole family, but especially for your little one. The best part is they’re cooked in mini muffin pans, so they only take 20 minutes to bake. I pack mine with vegetables and since there’s no salt or sugary ketchup, I add some cheese which makes every bite taste heavenly. Kenya had such a grin on his face when I gave him his first one. He tried to shove the entire thing in his mouth, but luckily I cajoled him into letting me cut it up.

Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf Bites (24 Mini Bites)

1 Zucchini, chopped
1/2 Cup Onion, chopped
1/2 Cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1/2 Cup Baby Carrots (about 8), chopped
1 Egg
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tbsp Worsteshire Sauce
1 Tsp Italian Herbs
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs (whole wheat, preferably)
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, white or orange, shredded
1 Lb. Ground Turkey (93% lean ground meat)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray a nonstick mini muffin tin with vegetable oil cooking spray or grease with oil.
3. Place all of the ingredients, except the turkey, in a food processor and pulse until everything is combined and the vegetables are in tiny pieces.
4. Place the ground turkey and vegetable mixture in a bowl and thoroughly combine (using your hands is the easiest way to do it).
5. Place about a tablespoon of the meatloaf mixture in the muffin pans and pack down with a spoon.
6. Bake until the mini turkey loaves are cooked through or an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F, about 20 minutes.
7. Cool and serve.

* This recipe can also be baked in a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and baked for 50 minutes.

**To Freeze: After baking, let bites come to room temperature, place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 3 months. When ready, defrost over night in the fridge and place in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes to reheat.

Since Kenya started eating solid foods, I’ve been giving him cauliflower weekly. I find it to be one of the most versatile foods to 
cook. At the farmers market in California you can find it almost year round in different colors such as white, yellow and, yes, even purple. Cauliflower is a good source of vitamin C, B3 and folic acid.
The actual idea for this dish was not weelicious-inspired. I was originally making a similar roast cauliflower dish for my 
husband and I for dinner when I decided to leave out some of the 
florets for Kenya to eat. He not only loved the flavor, but its fun for him 
to hold his own food and feed himself. Nothing could be more healthy, fresh and fast 
then this roast cauliflower caramelized with garlic and onion flavor.

Roast Cauliflower (6-8 Toddler Servings)

2 Cups of Cauliflower Florets, any color
1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Lemon Juice

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the cauliflower in a mixing bowl and drizzle with oil until
the florets are evenly coated.
3. Sprinkle with the herbs and toss to coat.
4. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes or until tender.
5. Take the cauliflower out of the oven and sprinkle with the lemon
juice.
6. Cool and serve.

When I was growing up in Kentucky, going every summer to the “U-Pick” farm with my grandfather was a ritual. He would take me, my little brother and cousins to Stumblers Orchard and we would pick whatever was fresh and in season. There was nothing like picking watermelons, strawberries and corn, all so sweet and delicious. I can still remember looking for the perfect fruits and vegetables to put in our baskets and then bring our bounty home to my parents. My grandfather would pick bushels of fruits and vegetables and freeze them so we could have plenty all through the winter.
Succotash is one of those southern dishes that evokes wonderful memories of summer. 
Corn, lima beans, carrots, red peppers and more fill this dish. This recipe is simple to prepare and packed with vitamins and minerals. Your little one will love the bright colors that comprise the dish and you’ll know they’re getting plenty of nutritious vegetables in this sweet treat.

Succotash (Makes 12 Toddler Servings)

8 Baby Carrots
1/3 Cup Red Pepper, chopped
1/2 Cup Corn
1/2 Cup Lima Beans
1/3 Cup Tomato, peeled and chopped (or canned organic)
2 Tbsp Whole Milk

1. Place the baby carrots and red pepper In a steamer pot over boiling
water for 4 minutes.
2. Add the corn and lima beans and steam another 3 minutes or until
all the vegetables are fork tender.
3. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse (DO NOT PUREE!) until little pieces of vegetable remain.
4. Cool and serve.

*Place in Baby Cubes and freeze.

*If you have a baby under the age of one, and you want to make this
dishes, just replace the milk with the water in the steamer pot and
puree it a little longer.



We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

Kenya has had an unusual transition from purees to solids. Sometimes 
he only wants solids to feed himself and other times he only wants purees for me 
to feed him. This recipe is for one of the first solid foods I fed him 
and he loved it. It was especially fun for him to feed himself the 
tiny pieces of vegetables, grains and meat (delicious and good for fine motor skills!). This is also a great dish because it contains a vegetable, protein and several grains.
As I’ve written time and time again, I’m a huge fan of Trader Joes when it comes to food shopping. The prices are usually lower than most 
stores, they carry a huge array of organic products and items that are 
very kid friendly. The Harvest Grains I use here are healthful, 
fast and easy to cook. Sometimes I cook them longer then the package 
calls for so the grains stick together. Kenya really likes to take a handful when he feeds himself. He always looks at me like he’s so proud to be part 
of the process.

Mediterranean Medley (8 Baby Servings)

1 Tsp Olive Oil
1/4 Lb. Ground Organic Meat
1/4 Cup Zucchini, chopped
1/2 Cup Tomato, chopped
1/2 Tsp Fresh Thyme, chopped
1/2 Cup Harvest Grains (a mix of Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo
beans and red quinoa from Trader Joes), cooked per the instructions on
the package

1. Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat.
2. Add the ground meat and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the vegetables and thyme and cook for 3 more minutes or until
all the ingredients are fork tender and the meat is cooked through.
4. Mix the meat and vegetable mixture with the grains.
5. Cool and serve.

*Place in Baby Cubes and freeze.

Several years ago I went to Chile. What a magical country. The food 
was so complex and interesting, yet simple and delicate. I was really 
fascinated to find that many of their dishes are inspired by Peruvian cuisine. 
I try to expand my horizons (and my son’s palette) by researching what other cultures feed their babies and toddlers. 
There’s a peruvian dish called Espesado de Lunes and it uses some of 
the ingredients listed below. The sweet from the corn and squash mixed 
with the earthy flavors of the cilantro, garlic and onion create a truly unique flavor. I’ve fed 
Kenya this dish two days in a row alongside a piece of white fish that 
I sprinkle with herbs and steam. I’m dying to try a version of this for my adult friends as well. Wouldn’t this be a gorgeous dinner 
party entree with a light piece of grilled fish on top? For now, Kenya gets to have his own baby version of a private Peruvian dinner.

Peruvian Puree (8 Baby Servings)

1/2 Butternut Squash (about 1 1/2 Cups), peeled and chopped
1/3 Cup Corn, fresh or frozen
1 Tbsp Onion, chopped
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tbsp Cilantro, leaves only

1. Place butternut squash in a steamer pot over boiling water for 4
minutes.
2. Add corn, onion and garlic and continue to cook another 4 minutes
or until vegetables are fork tender.
3. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
4. Cool and serve.

*Place in Baby Cubes and freeze.

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

Someone asked me yesterday, “How long does it really take to make baby 
food?” Honestly, it’s really fast and easy. This recipe took me 
4 minutes and Kenya was in the kitchen with me playing while I cooked.
I washed 3 sweet potatoes (2 to make puree and one to make fries). I turned on the oven, cut up one to make fries and put the other 2 in the 
oven. In less then an hour I had 14 baby servings of puree, enough fries for Kenya to snack on for 2 days and the remainder for my 
husband and me for dinner. Really, it’s that simple. And when it comes down to it, who doesn’t love French fries? Yes, they’re delicious when they’re fried up in oil, but not exactly healthy. When baked, they’re soft and perfect for babies with a few teeth (or even a bunch of teeth) to snack on. I’ve even made them in chip form for dinner parties and my guests loved them.

Sweet Potato “Fries”

1 Large Sweet Potato
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut sweet potato into 2 Inch batons which resemble french fries. You can
also cut them in long wedges so they resemble steak fries.
3. Place them on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss until
the sweet potatoes are coated with oil.
4. Place cookie sheet in the middle of the oven and bake for 15 minutes (Keep an eye on these little suckers. They go from golden to burnt quick!).
5. With a spatula, flip the potatoes, and continue to bake another 15 minutes or until they have a golden color.
6. Cool and serve.

*To Freeze: After Step 2, simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water until just tender. Drain well. Then spray a sheet pan with non-stick cooking oil and spread the partially cooked potatoes in a single layer on the pan. Place the pan of potatoes in the freezer and leave them there until they are solidly frozen. Transfer the grated potatoes to freezer bags or containers to use as needed. When ready, thaw and follow steps 3-6.

This dish reminds me of something you would have on a cool night in Tuscany. Cannelini beans, also known as white beans have a smooth texture and a nutty flavor. Combined with the brown rice, you have a 
complete protein. I’ve been making the adult version of this dish for years. When you 
make this for babies it becomes a creamy puree that — I’ve found — they can’t stop eating. This is one of those dishes that I crave when I think about 
it. This baby version of it is so quick, inexpensive and easy.
 Whether I soak my own beans or open a can of organic ones, I always put aside a few for Kenya to pick up and feed himself. Since they’re nice 
and mushy, it’s easy for babies, even with few teeth, to munch on.

Tuscan White Beans (10 Baby Servings)

1 Cup Kale or Green of your choice
1 Garlic Clove
1 Tbsp Onion, chopped
1/8 Tsp Oregano
1/2 Cup Brown Rice, cooked
1 Cup White Beans, cooked
1/2 Cup Tomato, fresh or canned, chopped

1. Place the kale in a steamer pot over boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and onion and continue cooking for 6 more minutes.
3. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
4. Cool and serve.

*Place in Baby Cubes and freeze.

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

I have to admit that I ripped off the idea for this salad from my friend, Annika. She made a similar version at a birthday party and Kenya gobbled it up. The best part is that you can buy pre-cooked lentils at Trader Joe’s (my favorite) or most supermarkets if you don’t have time to cook your own.
Lentils are a rich source of iron, needed for the production of white blood cells, the lynchpins of your child’s immune system. They’re a great alternative to meat as well as being high in fiber and easy to digest.
Since lentils are so tiny and soft, this recipe is perfect for babies with just a few teeth. Make sure to cut the tomatoes in an appropriate size, depending on your baby’s level of chewing ability. This salad is so beautiful and can quickly be prepared for your baby as well as your family, just by adding a little salt and pepper to taste.

Lentil Salad (6 Baby Servings)

1 Cup Lentils, cooked
1/4 Cup Tomatoes, small dice(I used cherry tomatoes)
1/2 Avocado, small dice
2 Tsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Serve.

What little kid, or big kid for that matter, doesn’t like macaroni and cheese? The only problem with the macaroni is that it’s too big and messy for babies to eat. I can deal with the mess, but the thought of a macaroni noodle going down wrong sends me into Mommy panic. Orzo is a fantastic remedy to that problem. Orzo looks just like a big grain of rice, but it’s actually pasta.
Kids can have funny textural issues. The first time I made this for Kenya he spit it out. Not exactly a compliment to the chef. The second time he tried it he held it hostage in his mouth before spitting it out again. How could he NOT like orzo and cheese?! I thought it would be a sure fire hit. In a last ditched effort, I decided to throw it in the food processor with some whole milk and puree it a bit. Tah dah… he loved it. Sometimes it’s not the flavor, but the texture of the puree that babies aren’t into. Also my ego couldn’t imagine he wouldn’t like something my friends and I would have devoured.

“Mac” & Cheese (10 Baby Servings plus extra cheesy sauce for dipping with vegetables)

3/4 Cup Whole Milk
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Flour
1/4 Cup White Cheddar Cheese (you could also try monterrey jack, parmesan, or mozzarella)
1/2 Cup Orzo

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan.
2. In a pan, bring water to a boil and add orzo pasta.
3. Cook orzo for 9-11 minutes or until tender. Drain.
4. While the orzo is cooking, melt the butter in a separate heavy-bottomed saucepan.
3. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don’t let it brown — about 1 minutes.
4. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
5. Add the cheese and stir until melted.
6. Combine with the orzo.
7. Cool and serve.

There’s something really cool to me about going to the farmers market and finding new foods that Kenya hasn’t tried yet. I just picked up a big celery root (or celeriac as it’s also known) which is quite unusual looking. It’s often knobby and brown with it’s big green top sprouting out. The first time I looked at it, I had zero idea why you would even want to make an attempt at turning it into something you could eat. I was so wrong. Just lob off the top, peel it, and then you can do all kinds of things for baby or you. Sometimes I’ll use half of it to make a puree for Kenya and make a salad with the rest for myself. In this puree it becomes super creamy and tastes like a cross between celery and a potato. I’ve been known to serve it with a little added butter when I’m having friends over.

Celery Root & Potato Puree (12 Baby Servings)

1 Potato, peeled and cubed
1 Medium Celery Root, peeled and cubed
1/4 Cup Whole Milk (if over 10-12 months), Breast Milk or Water

1. Place ingredients in a steamer pot over boiling water.
2. Steam for 8-10 minutes or until fork tender, reserving water in pot.
3. Place celery root and potato in a food processor.
4. Puree for 30 seconds. Add the milk and continue to puree. If it’s still to thick, add water from the pot.
5. Puree until smooth.
6. Cool and serve.

*Place in Baby Cubes and freeze.

We used these to make this recipe:

Cuisinart DLC-2 Mini Prep Plus Food Processor